Mentally exhausted from his six-year journey in MMA, the former pro footballer decided it was time to settle down and get a “real” job, and he signed on as a Rankin County Deputy Sheriff in his native Mississippi.

Then he got the call, and he just couldn’t say no.

“I didn’t really have any motivation to get back to training,” Shivers stated when his Strikeforce Challengers 12 bout was first announced. “I got the phone call from (local promoter) Dave Ferguson, who asked me if I wanted to fight again. I thought it was a great opportunity to be able to fight in front of my home crowd. Not to mention it’s a Strikeforce show. I had to take the opportunity.”

While he’s been forced to balance his training schedule with his job duties, Shivers says he’s not shortchanging himself on the preparation process.

“If I agree to take a fight, I’m going to give it a 100 percent and train as if it was a full-time job,” Shivers told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). “Basically, I guess I do have two full-time jobs.

“Since I’ve been training, I’ve pretty much always had a full-time job. I try to get a lot of work done before I actually go to my full-time job. When I get through, I do some more training. It’s keeps me pretty tired and exhausted all the time, but I’ve never been one of the guys to shortchange myself. I’m going to put everything I have into it.”

Shivers has made on significant change. A former Alan Belcher disciple, Shivers elected to train closer to home this time around at Knockout Fitness and MMA in Flowood, Miss.

The massive 6-foot-8 heavyweight says the switch has him feeling re-energized.

“I went back to my roots and did my camp with the guys I started out with six or seven years ago that have pretty much stuck with me,” Shivers said. “I was mentally drained, so I got away, got back to work, got my feet back on the ground. I got an opportunity to fight for Strikeforce card, and I just took it back to the basics from where I began and what got me here.

“I’ve been working real hard. I feel like I’m probably more prepared for this fight physically, cardio-wise and everything than I’ve ever been. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Shivers temporary return from retirement isn’t a permanent change – at least not yet. However, if the phone continues to ring, he’s definitely willing to answer.

“Honestly, I’m going into it with an open mind,” Shivers said. “I’ve got the mentality right now that if I walk out of that cage Friday night and I never fight again other than helping my guys get ready to fight, I’m OK with that. If I walk out there and bigger opportunities arise, I’m all for it.

“I’m 33 (years old), and I’ll be 34 soon. I’ve been through a lot, a lot of physical stuff in my life. I can feel it every day, but I’m not one that’s going to give into it. I’m not going to say, ‘I’m too old for this.’ If the right opportunity comes along, yeah. I got into this sport six years ago to take it where I could. I plan on doing that until the road ends. I guess we’ll wait and see.”

For now Shivers isn’t looking past Friday night. But re-focused and re-energized after a brief retirement, Shivers said he’s bringing non-stop action to the Strikeforce cage.

“I want to get in the cage and fight like a 275-pound Clay Guida,” Shivers said.

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